Storm Ciarán spawned record-strong tornado as deadly storm tore through UK's Jersey island
Ciarán had already blasted northern France with 110-129 mph wind gusts as the storm center moved into the English Channel Wednesday night. But around midnight, the intense low-pressure center spawned a severe thunderstorm that not only brought frequent lightning and large hail but also triggered a massive tornado.
Terrifying video shows mom saving baby from flying glass as powerful winds from Storm Ciarán shatter window
Jessica O'Reilly joined FOX Weather on Sunday morning to talk about the terrifying moment when powerful winds from Storm Ciarán shattered a window and sent glass flying. She said she knew she had to get her baby out of the room to keep her safe.
ST. CLEMENT, England – Amid the chaos of hurricane-force winds, massive hail and torrential rain that swept across northern Europe during last week’s deadly Storm Ciarán, one of the strongest tornadoes on record in the U.K. tore through the small island town of St. Clement, researchers have determined.
Ciarán had already blasted northern France with 110-129 mph wind gusts as the storm center moved into the English Channel Wednesday night. But around midnight, the intense low-pressure center spawned a severe thunderstorm that not only brought frequent lightning and large hail but also triggered a massive tornado.
BOMB CYCLONE STORM CIARAN KILLS 14 AS IT SLAMS EUROPE WITH HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS, EXTREME FLOODING
Researchers with the U.K.’s Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO) went to Jersey island to survey the damage and found a strong tornado cut a 5-mile-long path across the eastern end of Jersey, leaving severe damage in its wake.
![]()
Image 1 of 13ST HELIER, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 2: Damage is seen to property after Storm Ciaran ripped through Jersey, tearing roof tiles from roofs and uprooting trees on November 2, 2023 in St Helier, Jersey. Storm Ciaran swept across the southwest and south of England overnight posing a formidable threat in certain areas such as Jersey, where winds exceeded 100 mph overnight. This, along with the already-soaked ground from Storm Babet, increases the risk of flooding in already vulnerable areas. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![]()
Image 2 of 13ST HELIER, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 2: Damage is seen to properties after Storm Ciaran ripped through Jersey, tearing roof tiles from roofs and uprooting trees on November 2, 2023 in St Helier, Jersey. Storm Ciaran swept across the southwest and south of England overnight posing a formidable threat in certain areas such as Jersey, where winds exceeded 100 mph overnight. This, along with the already-soaked ground from Storm Babet, increases the risk of flooding in already vulnerable areas. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![Clear Up Begins After Storm Ciaran Causes Destruction]()
Image 3 of 13ST MARTIN, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 2: A row of four cottages which had their roofs ripped off during storm Ciaran, on November 2, 2023 in St Martin, Jersey. (Christian Keenan)
![]()
Image 4 of 13ST MARTIN, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 2: A row of four cottages which had their roofs ripped off during storm Ciaran, on November 2, 2023 in St Martin, Jersey. While parts of the country grapple with Storm Babet's flooding aftermath, Storm Ciaran unleashed winds surpassing 100 mph, torrential rain, and significant damage across the southwest, south of England, and the Channel Islands. On a Thursday, in the South West, around 9,000 properties lost power due to the storm, resulting in road closures and school shutdowns. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![]()
Image 5 of 13ST BRELADE'S, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 2: The roof of the Jersey Petanque club was blown off in the early hours of the morning on November 2, 2023 in St Brelade's, Jersey. Storm Ciaran swept across the southwest and south of England overnight posing a formidable threat in certain areas such as Jersey, where winds exceeded 100 mph overnight. This, along with the already-soaked ground from Storm Babet, increases the risk of flooding in already vulnerable areas. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![]()
Image 6 of 13ST BRELADE'S, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 2: The roof of the Jersey Petanque club was blown off in the early hours of the morning on November 2, 2023 in St Brelade's, Jersey. Storm Ciaran swept across the southwest and south of England overnight posing a formidable threat in certain areas such as Jersey, where winds exceeded 100 mph overnight. This, along with the already-soaked ground from Storm Babet, increases the risk of flooding in already vulnerable areas. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![]()
Image 7 of 13ST HELIER, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 3: Tree blocks the road and causes damage to Victoria College School cricket pitch on November 3, 2023 in St Helier, Jersey. While parts of the country grapple with Storm Babet's flooding aftermath, Storm Ciaran unleashed winds surpassing 100 mph, torrential rain, and significant damage across the southwest, south of England, and the Channel Islands. On a Thursday, in the South West, around 9,000 properties lost power due to the storm, resulting in road closures and school shutdowns. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![]()
Image 8 of 13ST SAVIOUR, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 2: A fallen tree blocks the entire road in a residential neighborhood on November 2, 2023 in St Saviour, Jersey. Storm Ciaran swept across the southwest and south of England overnight posing a formidable threat in certain areas such as Jersey, where winds exceeded 100 mph overnight. This, along with the already-soaked ground from Storm Babet, increases the risk of flooding in already vulnerable areas. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![]()
Image 9 of 13ST HELIER, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 2: Trees are uprooted after winds reaching 100 mph tore through the island in the early hours of the morning on November 2, 2023 in St Helier, Jersey. Storm Ciaran swept across the southwest and south of England overnight posing a formidable threat in certain areas such as Jersey, where winds exceeded 100 mph overnight. This, along with the already-soaked ground from Storm Babet, increases the risk of flooding in already vulnerable areas. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![]()
Image 10 of 13ST HELIER, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 2: Damage is seen to properties after Storm Ciaran ripped through Jersey, tearing roof tiles from roofs and uprooting trees on November 2, 2023 in St Helier, Jersey. Storm Ciaran swept across the southwest and south of England overnight posing a formidable threat in certain areas such as Jersey, where winds exceeded 100 mph overnight. This, along with the already-soaked ground from Storm Babet, increases the risk of flooding in already vulnerable areas. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![]()
Image 11 of 13GROUVILLE, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 3: Tree damage to St Peter La Rocque Fishermans Chapel built in 1851 on November 3, 2023 in Grouville, Jersey. While parts of the country grapple with Storm Babet's flooding aftermath, Storm Ciaran unleashed winds surpassing 100 mph, torrential rain, and significant damage across the southwest, south of England, and the Channel Islands. On a Thursday, in the South West, around 9,000 properties lost power due to the storm, resulting in road closures and school shutdowns. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![]()
Image 12 of 13GROUVILLE, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 3: Tree damage to St Peter La Rocque Fishermans Chapel built in 1851 on November 3, 2023 in Grouville, Jersey. While parts of the country grapple with Storm Babet's flooding aftermath, Storm Ciaran unleashed winds surpassing 100 mph, torrential rain, and significant damage across the southwest, south of England, and the Channel Islands. On a Thursday, in the South West, around 9,000 properties lost power due to the storm, resulting in road closures and school shutdowns. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
![]()
Image 13 of 13ST HELIER, JERSEY - NOVEMBER 2: The Grand Hotel shows signs of damage, with the side rendering ripped, away after winds reaching 100 mph tore through the island in the early hours of the morning on November 2, 2023 in St Helier, Jersey. Storm Ciaran swept across the southwest and south of England overnight posing a formidable threat in certain areas such as Jersey, where winds exceeded 100 mph overnight. This, along with the already-soaked ground from Storm Babet, increases the risk of flooding in already vulnerable areas. (Photo by Christian Keenan/Getty Images) ( )
The agency, which uses the 10-point International Tornado Intensity Scale to rate tornadoes instead of the Enhanced Fujita Scale used in the U.S., determined the twister warranted a T6 rating out of a possible T10. That classifies the tornado as "moderately devastating" with estimated peak winds of 161-186 mph – about on par with an EF-4 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
HOW ARE TORNADOES RATED? THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE EXPLAINED
Of those who might have experienced the tornado were a St. Clement mother and her infant daughter, whose story went viral on social media when the mother’s baby monitor captured her pulling her baby from her bassinet moments before their bedroom window shattered as the storm raged outside.
"I could just hear something coming closer. This really loud wind and, it just didn't sound right," O'Reilly told FOX Weather. "And it kind of came closer and closer and closer. I just knew I had to get my baby out of there. And that's when all the glass just came smashing in. And it was pretty scary." Luckily, neither was hurt.
Jessica O'Reilly moves to quickly get her baby out of harms way when a window broke. (Image:Jessica O'Reilly/WEATHER TRAKER /TMX)
WATCH: MOM SCOOPS BABY MOMENTS BEFORE STORM CIARAN'S WINDS SHATTER BEDROOM WINDOW
TORRO says this tornado will rate as one of the strongest ever recorded in the U.K., besting the T5/6 tornado that struck Birmingham, U.K., in 2005 and the strongest since the West London T7 tornado of December 1954.
In addition, hailstones of nearly 2 inches in diameter – about golf ball-sized – were the largest found on Jersey since the summer of 1983.
Storm Ciarán ended up killing 14 people and leaving several more injured across multiple northern European countries.